WAM Feature: Abu Dhabi Children's Library, A Destination To Enrich Creativity

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 10th Sep, 2019) Abu Dhabi Children's Library and Theatre, located at the capital city's oldest landmark Al Hosn's Cultural Foundation, is a knowledge destination for learning, exploring, and developing the cultural and social awareness among youngsters in an environment that combines pleasure and knowledge.

The 5,250-square metre facility reflects the country's vision and commitment to supporting local culture and heritage and to further enhance the status of the UAE's capital as a global cultural hub.

The library is divided into several social spaces that are age-appropriate for children and families. It serves as a landmark educational beacon offering programmes and workshops that stimulate creativity and vital learning skills to inspire, refine, and develop children's artistic skills in an engaging environment.

Equipped with the latest tools and techniques for valuable resources, the library will enable the children to design their own projects and discover the deep links between art and literature.

Saif Saeed Ghobash, Under-Secretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, says that the opening of the Abu Dhabi Children's Library and Theatre at the Cultural Foundation "will play an important role in the cultural scene of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. It will focus on Emirati and regional content, what the residents and visitors of Abu Dhabi would like to see, and will play a leading role in reinforcing Emirati talent."

The region's biggest library is spread over three floors to accommodate hundreds of children, with more than 35,000 books ranging from print to electronic books, include novels, comics, and biographies and many others categories.

For her part, Michelle Hackwel, Manager of the Abu Dhabi Children's Library, says that the library is designed in the form of a life-size book with vast spaces embodying the printing and digital content of the library. Each floor has a different design concept reflecting the rich and diverse landscapes of the UAE.

She explains that a group of children and students were asked to give their opinions about their requirements, their dreams, and their thought about reading. "We listened to many different answers, and these observations were incorporated into the library."

The library also boasts several three-dimensional learning and play spaces in which children can physically immerse themselves to become part of a story.

Hackwel says that the area offers many programmes, interactive workshops, as well as a number of exploration activities for children.

From science and technology, engineering, arts, mathematics, literature, art and cinema to music, the library is a vibrant cultural centre and a source of exploration, participation, and creativity.

She concludes by saying that the library has a capacity of 75,000 books and currently hosts over 35,000 books in Arabic, English, French and other languages, and it will continue to receive more books and encyclopaedias.